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i am due on the 10th of june and i am having my 4th c-section i am wondering has anyone had any problems having a c-section as i keep hearing on tv all these bad things can happen i am very overweight which i know wont help but all my other c-sections have been fine PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW YOURS WENT
C-sections will always carry an element of risk.. and unfortunetley the way the media works, they will only focus on the worst cases!
I had a csection and ive never felt more happy with my decision, in saying that, its best to speak to your doctor or midwife about your concerns i think....
I haven't had one I have had 3 friends that have, two had perfect c-sections that barely scarred at all, one wasn't quite so lucky but she did more than she was supposed to have combined with the not 100% perfectly done stitching led to her ripping some of the stitches and needing another hospital visit, but it probably could of been prevented if 1. the dr had taken more time and 2. she hadn't pushed herself.
These are all recent as well. The fact you've had 3 good ones thus far I really wouldn't worry just sit back and relax and make sure you don't push yourself too mch too early
Best of luck for a happy and healthy bubs and c-section *hugs*
I had c/s with my first and all went really well, no problems at all. I know it's hard not to let your mind wander off with all these scenarios when you see and hear these things on the news - my mind does the same things to me!! I just try to relax, take a deep breath and focus on me and the baby and repeat that everything is going to be just fine.
thank you to all of you who replied to my message i am grateful to hear all what yous had to say and for
Colleen- by way you have a little beautiful boy
Celtic Moon - good luck with your pregnancy i hope all goes well
Ozziehoffy- good luck with your VBAC i hope all goes well
I have had two c/sections for two different reasons and the biggest problem has been with my second where the spinal didn't take affect so I had to have a general (which to me isn't the hugest of problems)but medically everything has gone fine for both me and my bubs. FYI my c/sections have been at two completely different hospitals both in location and style.
Wow, I admire you going back for a 4th c/s! No way I could do that, just having to face the pain and recovery etc. again. My c/s went relatively well, although it was most likely not needed, hence my VBAC this time around! I had a lot of pain afterwards which was apparently common with the OB that did my surgery, and had a slow and painful recovery which has definately turned me off c/s's!
I may be wrong, but my impression was that they reccommend you stop at 3 c/s because of the thinning of the scar tissue etc, and the increased risked of uterine rupture? I don't really know.
Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you.
I have had one c-section and will probably have another one in 2 weeks. We want to have more children after this so I aksed my Ob if I could have 3 or 4 and he said the record is 13. These days there doesn't seem to be a number they say to stop at. Depends on the Ob to I think.
Hi Karen
This a post I made on BB quite a few months ago It is a true story and although this sort of problem is very uncommon it just shows that things can and do go wrong
Sue’s Story
It’s January 2005. Sue 22 years old (not her real name) and her husband Jim 24 years old ( not his real name) decide that they want to try for a second baby. There first child is 18 months and they do not want there to be a big age difference between the two children. Sue falls pregnant quickly. Just as she did with her first baby. The pregnancy went normally, just the usual morning sickness and general aches and pains. Her first baby was born vaginally, no problems and no stiches, but this time Sue has decided to have a C/S as a few of her friends told her that it is far less painful than a vaginal birth.
At the beginning of November Sue has her C/S at 39 weeks. She delivers a baby girl weighing 7lb 6oz and everything went well. The surgeon that performed is a well respected paediatrician and surgeon throughout QLD.
3 days after the C/S when the dressing was being removed there was a small amount of yellowish fluid coming from a very small opening in the wound a swab was taken and sent off for testing. Sue also has a slight temperature.
Before the results of the swab are back Sue complains of feeling ‘unwell’ she now has
a high temperature 38.7. Sue’s antibiotics are changed from oral (tablets) to IV ( a
drip). The results of the swab show that Sue has MRSA ( golden staph). This bug can
be very hard to kill. Sue’s condition continues to get worse and she is transferred to a major hospital in Brisbane where she had an emergency hysterectomy. Her condition continued to worsen and she was transferred to ICU. Despite massive doses of antibiotics she became septic lapsed into a coma and was not expected to live. However after just over 2 weeks in ICU she was transferred to a general ward and 10 days ago she was transferred back to us in western QLD.
After a few more days in hospital Sue was discharged home.
The septicaemia has damaged her heart and she also has 2 cysts on her liver.
Sue has to come to hospital twice a day for IV antibiotics. This treatment takes 2 hours for each visit. She also has to have blood tests every week because the antibiotic that is being used can destroy the liver.
In another 6 weeks Sue has to go back to Brisbane for more tests to see if the treatment has been successful and to assess if there has been any improvement in the damage to her heart.
Although the names are false this is a true story. It is going to be many many months before we know if Sue’s heart and liver have suffered any permanent damage, but from the tests that have been done so far it is not looking good for her heart, one of the valves has been badly damaged by the infection.
Wow Alan - thanks for sharing that story.
I was gonna say that my experience from a c/s (was an emerg c/s) was not pleasant which is why i'm desperately trying for a VBAC this time around. First of all i was surprised to see how 'damaged' i was down below as i expected only my tummy to be affected from the surgery. My entire vagina, clitoris etc was literally black from bruising and it made sitting, toilet trips...very uncomfortable - so i remembered thinking "I'd may as well have gone through both types of childbirth!"
But that wasn't nearly as bad as the huge blood clot that developed under my c/s incision. It was a massive, extremely painful mound that almost found me in surgery again to have it drained....luckily IV medication and daily injections cleared it up enough to avoid another op.
I also had a side effect of a build up of flem in my chest, from the surgery, which doesn't seem too major but when you've had layers of muscle and tissue cut open - as well as a huge blood clot under your scar - trying to cough up the flem was almost unbearable. Eventually i was given saline through a nebulizer and mask to assist with breaking up the flem.
It was a horrible experience for me that i never wish to go through again. Don't mean to be so negative or intend to scare you - just wanted to let you know that my c/s experience wasn't as pleasant as some. Good luck with it all :) I hope you have a truly wonderful birthing experience!
In hospital this is taken very seriously. It can lead to chest infections, pneumonia, and is on of the major causes of death amongst disabled and elderly bedridden patients.:
I also had a side effect of a build up of flem in my chest, from the surgery, which doesn't seem too major
Brooke - maybe you should get that checked out hun! Blood clots can be nasty.
Wow Alan i had no idea the flem was so serious...i just know it caused me considerable pain and grief. Oh PLEASE no c/s for me this time :pray:
It is the reason we get you out of bed the day after the C/S. One of the best methods of preventing chest infections is to get you moving.
Think about this
You will have seen the muck that you cough up. Now imagine that sitting in a nice warm damp place for a few days. Bugs love warm damp places.
So what happens is that all that gunk sits in the bottom of your lungs for a few days and well you can imagine what it would look like then. So we get yoou up and moving not because we are nasty grumpy nurses but so we can get you out of the hospital sooner and upright.
I have a question about c/sections.
If you needed one, emergancy and schelduled, can you choose not to have it under a general? Can you not have a general even if its an emergancy, or will they just do whatever they need to, if its that urgent?
Yael
That is a little difficult to answer. An emergency C/S is often used instead of an urgent C/S. If it is an emergency (the baby needs to be out now) they will usually go for a general because it is quicker. If it is an urgent C/S (the baby needs to be out within the next 30 mins or so) then you will usually have a epidural unless you request a general.
I have an extreme phobia of generals, so i want to put in my birth plan (not that i want a c-section but just incase) if its not life or death i don't want a general at all..
Should that be a problem?
thanks to everyone who has told me there good and bad experiecences about there c-sections one thing i didnt know was that you could ask for one if you had a vagnal birth first and found that too hard, all of my have been emerecency c-section though all different reasons ( pre eclaspsa- UGR- having twins and knowing one was going to die) i dont even know what contractions feel like, so this pregnancy i have know choose but to have a c-section. I do find after each c-section it seems to be easier hopefully it will be easier again this/last time around:crossfingers: and goodluck to everyone who is pregnant now and the ones with littles ones we all know it can get hard sometimes with or without a partner but it is sooooooooo worth it
13 c/s's - that sounds a bit ridiculous, I don't think there would be many OB's around that would reccomend or encourage that many surgeries in the one area full stop let alone for a c/s., and these days I think the focus is more on having less c/s's as most people realise that in a lot of cases they are just not neccesarily the only way to go
Alan - you said in an emergency c/s the anaesthetic could likely be a general. What about in my case, trying for a VBAC, say 2 scenarios - 1) the labour isn't progressing so they opt for a c/s to reduce risk of rupture, would that still be a local? Then 2) if the baby has become distressed for some reason, or a problem with my end of things ie possible rupturing or anything else, this would then be a general?
Yael - I have been under a general before when I had a lump removed from my thyroid, the build up to it was awful, and the feeling going under I hated, but afterwards you think, oh, here we are then is that all?? But I would prefer not to have one in labour just because of missing out on those first moments seeing bubs and getting to bond straight away etc. That is pretty important to me this time around, I was separated from Jackson for over an hour after his c/s which was totally unnessesary as we were both healthy.
Min - its not the actual general i have a phobia about per se. My FIL died during emergancy heart surgery last year, and as it was a Coroner case (he died on the operating table), they must by law leave everything attached.
When we went to identify the body he still had the breathing aparatus in, and i'm left with that visual image.
Althought the general had nothing to do with the death, and my fear is completely irrational, i don't want to die with a tube in my throat... Even my DH whose father it was thinks its a bit stupid but anyway...
I hope i don't have to tell my obs about this, b/c i know logically it sounds stupid, but its how i've felt for the past 9 months... I'm actually quite terrified now i've dying during a c-section.
But like i said, i know my fears are rather irrational, and logically i don't want a general for the seperation between me and baby.
Yael
They prefer to do an epidural if possible. It has less problems than a General. I would still put it in your birth plan.
Min
Scenario 1 would be an epidural
Scenario 2 Would depend on the degree of distress. I would expect that you are going to be watched closely. And in that case would be able to pick up signs of early distress In this case it would be an epidural. If the distress was pronounced then it would be a general.
Ok this is a rough guide to what we do to give you an anaesthetic.
Epidural
Insert a catheter into your bladder
Put a needle into your arm and start some IV fluids
Shave (usually just a trim)
Take you into theatre
Have you sit on the edge of the bed trying to curl your back
Paint your back with an antiseptic wash
Give you a local anaesthetic into the skin
Put a needle and a thin tube into your spine
Remove the needle
Attach plastic tube to syringe and inject drug
Drug can take up to 15 minutes to work and sometimes needs more than one dose
Put a mask on your face and connect you to the oxygen
Paint your tummy with antiseptic wash
General
Insert a catheter into your bladder
Put a needle into your arm and start some IV fluids
Shave (usually just a trim)
Take you into theatre
Inject a drug into the needle in your arm
You are asleep within 10 seconds
Put a tube down your throat and connect it to the oxygen and other gasses
Paint your tummy with antiseptic wash
Yael, I can see how that experience would play on your mind - death has a way of doing that, I have some images of loved ones in my head that will stay with me forever, that I would rather did not! And I suppose when you think about it most fears are irrational, but the fear is real, I guess you just gotta figure out how to get past it, maybe speaking to your Dr. about it might help?
Thanks Alan, missed that post, yup, the epidural you explained was exactly how it went with Jackson. I am just praying that I don't need either this time around!
Alan, can I ask you a question about the muck on the chest? I should probably know the answer but don't... I was rushed to hospital on the w/end for bilary colic and they did some x-rays of my chest as well because my lung function on one side was not efficient and they thought I had a chest infection. The x-ray showed streaky marks which they have said is a side effect of my c-sect and/or pregnancy - what are the risks now considering what you just wrote about the risk of phlem? I was up and about 18hours post surgery (approx) and have been very active since my surgery. TIA
For Lukesmum: One of the girls from my due thread had a c-sect (I think it was number 3 or 4 for her) and her wound split about a week after she was discharged. She had a couple of 1cm gaps in various places along the suture line where it had come apart and was oozing rather badly (soaking combine dressings) and I think she had an infection (but am a little hazy on that).
MG
MG
You have nothing to worry about providing that your chest is not bubbly/crackly when you breathe. You did all the right things. Up 18 after the OP and continue to be very active.
Yes when ob said 13 is the record I thought it was pretty outrageous. I have really only heard of people having up to 4. I guess it all comes down to the way it heals.
Karen, I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier. As you've had three previous caesareans you would know what to expect in terms of the physical healing process.
I have only had one caesarean so I can't compare it to your situation. The only thing I can say is that good post operative management is critical to how you will heal after the surgery. I also believe in getting up as soon as you can afterwards because the quicker you get back on your feet, the better you will feel.
The hospital I had DD in doesn't even offer PCA's for c-sect! I had a ****tail of other drugs prescribed. A couple of my friends have had sections in other hospitals in Melb and also not been offered PCA's...
hi girls :)
MG - My wound opened up only 48 hours after leaving hospital.
I started getting a fever within 24 hours of the surgery, and by day 2, i was asking why i was not being treated for it,, so they brought in a doctor to see me who immediately started antibiotics. But they stopped them when i left hospital, so i had a 3 day course (like that is going to fix an infection??) I often wonder if that caused me to not get my milk in till day 8 as well?
So within 48 hours from ceasing the antibiotics, my wound sprung 3 leaks, approx 1cm to 1 inch each. They were classed as major oozing from the hospital, and the doctor who saw me there and treated me with more antibiotics said in his opinion, I was allergic to the disolving sutures used internally as i had staples on the outside. The leakage kept up for nearly 2 weeks, completely saturating the combine bandages, and my clothes many times a day. Once it sealed over finally,,,,, the leakage then burst forth (TMI WARNING) from my hooha!!!!! that continued for nearly another week.
Since the surgery, my actual loss was minimal, and only lasted for a max of 2 weeks,,,, but since the would has completely closed,, i have had spoting every day since,, not sure if it is related or not?
But yes, I do way to much on a daily basis,, but I am the only one to get these things done, so have no choice
Oh, my hospital never offered a PCA with any of my c-sections either MG.I was just given the spinal for the surgery,, then nurofen, and panadol after that for 2 days, then nothing offered barr those stupid coloxyl tablet i really wish i had thrown back at them, as they gave both DS and myself major stomach cramping and pain,,,
Lil
Wow im hearing some ewwww wound stories.. :S
Mine wound was great, no bandages after day 3 and the staples came out with no probs, no opening or spilling out ... iykwim!
My home care nurse that visited once i went home said she hadnt seen a tidy scar like that in agesss.... I can bearly see it at all now...